Place between Yeasayer and Primal Scream
Marginalia
Review: On ‘The Slow Rush,’ Tame Impala Masks Inner Turmoil With Sonic Euphoria
As a producer, Parker has more moving parts to balance this time, but he arrives at a deft auteur-pop synergy in which every last decision, down to the assorted cathedral-like reverb effects that lend his voice an otherworldly aura, become as intrinsic to the music as the melodies or the words. Though there’s a lot going on in the latticework of the music ā springy analog synthesizer arpeggios, guitars doing unguitarlike things, layers upon layers of pastel lushness ā the post-psychedelic swirl of The Slow Rush registers as an organic blend, with the songs never feeling cluttered or too tightly scripted.
RIYL: Tame Impalaās The Slow Rush
To create music that fits this mood, he recasts the sounds of yacht rock, early ā80s R&B, French touch, experimental synth music from the ā70s, Italo house, prog, trip-hop, his own back catalog, and much more. You can hear the Moog synths doing filter sweeps, the steady backbeat of drums with a phaser effect on them, and a big obvious nod to āThe Logical Songā by Supertramp.
A reflection on the music that represented my soundtrack for 2020.
With 2020 a strange year on so many levels, here is the music that tied it all together.
The Slow Rush ā Tame Impala
I am sure that some might be put off by Parkerās move to ādeft auteur-pop synergyā, however I found this to be the first Tame Impala album to really capture my attention. Although the album touches on themes of nostalgia, lose, anxiety and inner peace, first and foremost I feel this album offers up a sound that envelopes you.
Written before the onset of the coronavirus, it has been fascinating to listen to it in this new light. This was an experience that also happened with Run the Jewelās RTJ4 and the death of George Floyd. Take for example the lines from One More Year:
Or On Track:
Or Tomorrowās Dust:
It has also been interesting to see Tame Impala address the constraints of performing/promoting these tracks. After turning to solo performances, they have since morphed into a synthpop setup, driven by sequences and drum machines. In part, this was due to some members not being in Perth, but one wonders if this is where Parker was heading anyway. It will be intriguing to see how much of this persists in the long term.
Folklore ā Taylor Swift
This year produced a number of albums that were clearly responses to the situation at hand. For example, Charli XCX stripped things back to what she had on hand with her quarantine album, How Iām Feeling Now. Taylor Swift used the opportunity to explore a different collaborators, sounds and storytelling.
Although Antonoff features on the album, Swift used Folklore and the sister album, Evermore, as an occasion to team up with Aaron Dessner from The National. What I find interesting is that the album is a departure for all parties. Although some would like to pigeon hole Antonoff, his oeuvre has shown nuance. While it feels like Dessner further unpacks some of the sounds explored with The Nationalās I am Easy to Find, as well as Big Red Machine.
Although it is possible to find correlations with Swiftās past albums, what previously was at the edge is placed front and centre. There has been some conjecture about whether these tracks will fit with Swiftās stadium spectaculars, this was one of the reasons she gave for her live recording with Antonoff and Dessner. At the very least, with the absence of the traditional pop singles, it is at refreshing is to hear a track like Cardigan played on mainsteam radio.
Djesse Vol 3 ā Jacob Collier
There are some albums that stick straight-away, while others take a bit more time. Djesse is one that took time to sink in. Collierās tendency to mash-up so many ideas and sounds can sometimes be an affront to the pop senses. I think what helped was not only appreciating the tunes, but also the sonic world Collier created. However, I feel this uncanny experience is somewhat intentional. As Collier explained in his Switched on Pop interview with his exploration of unfamilar keys and new sounds. When it clicks though there is a certain joy and exuberance that cannot be escaped.
Collier claims that Djesse is a quarantine album both in its sound and structure.
However, it could also be argued that he has been building to this moment. Not only has he always recorded and produced his own music, but he also has tendency to push what is possible to the limits. Whether it be singing ahead of the beat to perform duets over Zoom, using Source Connect to capture recordings from around the world or performing as a one-man band, Collier is always innovating.
The Ascension ā Sufjan Stevens
WIth The Ascension, Sufjan Stevens takes a step back to drag the listener in. There are many pop elements within all the layered synths and beats, however the mix always feels held back. Rather than sad bangers, Stevensā presents what he labels ārage-bangersā. In the hustle bustle of lockdown life and political upheaval, the album provides a point of meditation. Jon Pareles describes it as, āmore metaphysical than biographical.ā. While Grant Sharples argues, although it may not be the optimistic answer we may be craving for, it captures the current air of contemplation.
Lost in all the sounds and starts, Sam Sodomsky compares the album to a big-budget IMAX movie.
Kate Miller-Heidke ā Child in Reverse
Whether it be The Weeknd, Dua Lipa, Washington, Washed Out, The Naked and Famous, Empress Of or Sylvan Esso, there have been some great pop albums released this year. However, the one that stood out to me was Kate Miller-Heidkeās Child in Reverse. Her sense of authenticity and honesty, as well as the measured production reminds me of Lordeās Melodrama. Whereas, Lordeās album recounts her transition into the adult world, Miller-Heidke is looking back on life with a sense of acceptance of who she is and forgiveness for any misgivings.
Some of the tracks came out of an APRA SongHub songwriting weekend. She signed up after going through a phase of writerās block. Miller-Heidke reflects upon the experience of working with Evan Klar and Hailey Collier and the benefit of letting the songs live through the āears and hearts of othersā:
The album was produced by Klar. Miller-Heidke explains what she felt he brought to the table.
I have always been aware of Miller-Heidkeās music and appreciated her virtuosity. However, I was always a little put off by her vocal gymnastics. This album changed all that for me.
We Will Always Love You ā The Avalanches
This album was on the periphery for a while, with various teasers released throughout 2020. However, it was not until the album dropped that the vision for it fell into place. Although there are some great tracks, with my favourite being Wherever You Go, the strength is listening as a whole. Chris Deville describes the this as an odyssey.
Robbie Chater and Tony Di Blasi, with the help of Andy Szekeres, stitch together voices from the past and present in an act of musical remembering. Touching on themes of contemplation and transcendence, Kate Streader describes it as The Avalanchesā own Golden Record.
As with Oneohtrix Point Never, We Will Always Love You feels more like a mix tape, a hopeful one that was needed to end the year with.
With all the talk of the ānew normalā this year, the theme that seems to tie them together is the idea of ānew beginningsā. Whether it be new collaborations, new sounds, new mindset or new approaches to performance, I feel each of these albums has offered something different.
So what about you? What albums soundtracked your 2020? Were there any themes that tied things together? As always, comments welcome.
If you enjoy what you read here, feel free to sign up for my monthly newsletter to catch up on all things learning, edtech and storytelling.Share this:EmailRedditTwitterPocketTumblrLinkedInLike this:Like Loading…
Music of 2020 in Review, or the Year of New Beginnings by Aaron Davis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.